Efficacy of the Therapeutic Game "Trisquel" in the Treatment of Patients With Substance-Related Disorders Randomized Clinical Study.

Substance-related disorders (SRD) have been consistently associated with alterations both in cognitive and executive functions, which affect to patients' quality of life. The main objective of this work was to test the beneficial cognitive effects on patients with SRD after the implementation of "Trisquel," an intervention program in board game format. To check the effectiveness of Trisquel program, a group of people diagnosed with SRD was randomly assigned either to the experimental group or to the control group. The experimental group performed Trisquel structured sessions twice a week during 3 months, while the control group performed routinely conventional therapeutic activities with the same frequency and duration. Neuropsychological tests were done to both groups before and after the intervention. After the 3 months of intervention the experimental group showed the following statistically significant improvements for WAIS-III subtests: number key, symbol search, arithmetic, direct digits, inverse digits, total digits, letters-numbers in the processing speed index and in the working memory index. Regarding STROOP tests, statistically significant progress was observed in the phonetic fluency letter P, phonetic fluency letter M, phonetic fluency letter R subtests, word-reading and word-color subtests. The control group only obtained improvements for WAIS-III subtests of arithmetic, letters-numbers and in the working memory index. The results of this study confirm that "Trisquel" is an effective intervention program for people diagnosed with SRD, getting improvements in processing speed (psychomotor and reading), attentional subprocesses (focused and sustained) and executive functions (updating and inhibition).

[Neurocognitive anomalies associated with the binge drinking pattern of alcohol consumption in adolescents and young people: a review]. / Anomalías neurocognitivas asociadas al consumo intensivo de alcohol (binge drinking) en jóvenes y adolescentes: una revisión.

Binge drinking (BD) is the most common problematic drinking pattern during adolescence and youth. At the same time, it is a period marked by profound structural and functional brain changes, which may be affected by heavy alcohol consumption. In recent years, a considerable number of studies that attempt to characterize the effects of BD on the brain has been published. However, to date there is not any critical review in Spanish language on neurostructural, neurophysiological and cognitive consequences that may result from the maintenance of a BD pattern of alcohol consumption during adolescence and youth. The purpose of this review is to critically summarize the main research results on the effects of BD on the brain. To this end, a literature search in databases Web of Knowledge, PubMed and PsycINFO for the period 2000-2013 was performed. In general, studies agree that BD is associated with 1) lower performance on tasks assessing cognitive processes such as attention, memory and executive functions, 2) structural changes (in white matter and gray matter) in different brain regions and 3) neurophysiological abnormalities (hyper/hypoactivation) linked to different cognitive processes. These results, although still need to be contrasted, warn about important consequences that could result from the persistence of BD on a young and still maturing brain.

Anomalías neurocognitivas asociadas al consumo intensivo de alcohol (binge drinking) en jóvenes y adolescentes: Una revisión / Neurocognitive anomalies associated with the binge drinking pattern of alcohol consumption in adolescents and young people: A review

El consumo intensivo de alcohol o binge drinking (BD) constituye la forma de consumo problemático más común durante la adolescencia y juventud. Al mismo tiempo, es éste un período marcado por profundos cambios, tanto en la estructura como en el funcionamiento cerebral, que pueden verse afectados por el consumo intensivo de alcohol. En los últimos años, se ha publicado un importante número de estudios que tratan de caracterizar los efectos del BD sobre el cerebro. Sin embargo, no existe hasta la fecha ninguna revisión crítica en lengua española de la investigación sobre las consecuencias neuroestructurales, neurofuncionales y cognitivas que pueden derivarse del mantenimiento de un patrón de consumo intensivo de alcohol durante la adolescencia y juventud. El propósito de esta revisión es hacer un resumen crítico de los principales resultados de la investigación sobre los efectos del BD en el cerebro. Para ello, se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en las bases de datos Web of Knowledge, PubMed y PsycINFO para el periodo 2000-2013. En general, los trabajos coinciden en señalar que el BD se asocia a1) menor rendimiento en tareas que evalúan procesos cognitivos como la atención, la memoria o las funciones ejecutivas, 2) alteraciones estructurales (en sustancia blanca y en sustancia gris) en distintas regiones cerebrales y 3) anomalías neurofuncionales (hiper- y/o hipoactivación neural) ligadas a distintos procesos cognitivos. Estos resultados, si bien aún necesitan ser contrastados, alertan sobre las importantes consecuencias que podría tener la persistencia del BD sobre un cerebro joven y todavía en maduración

Binge drinking (BD) is the most common problematic drinking pattern during adolescence and youth. At the same time, it is a periodmarked by profound structural and functional brain changes, which may be affected by heavy alcohol consumption. In recent years, a considerable number of studies that attempt to characterize the effects of BD on the brain has been published. However, to date there is not any critical review in Spanish language on neurostructural, neurophysiological and cognitive consequences that may result from the maintenance of a BD pattern of alcohol consumption during adolescence and youth. The purpose of this review is to critically summarize the main research results on the effects of BD on the brain. To this end, a literature search in databases Web of Knowledge, PubMed and PsycINFO for the period 2000-2013 was performed. In general, studies agree that BD is associated with 1) lower performance on tasks assessing cognitive processes such as attention, memory and executive functions, 2) structural changes (in white matter and gray matter) in different brain regions and 3) neurophysiological abnormalities (hyper/hypoactivation) linked to different cognitive processes. These results, although still need to be contrasted, warn about important consequences that could result from the persistence of BD on a young and still maturing brain

Utilización de videos didácticos como innovación en la enseñanza de la toxicología: an innovatory tool in Toxicology teaching / Use of didactic videos

OBJETIVO: evaluar la utilidad de videos didácticos como estrategia innovadora en el proceso de enseñanza de la Toxicología. MÉTODOS: se procedió a establecer el conocimiento de un grupo de 48 estudiantes de la asignatura luego de las clases magistrales y de la presentación de 3 videos de la serie Drogas y Cerebro correspondientes a los temas de Cocaína, Alcohol y Marihuana, a través de instrumentos pretest y postest, diseñados ad hoc para valorar su eficacia en el mejoramiento del aprendizaje al comparar los resultados de ambos procedimientos. RESULTADOS: el porcentaje de respuestas correctas después de la clase magistral es de 59 por ciento para el tema de Cocaína y 66 por ciento para Alcohol y Marihuana vs. 89 por ciento y 93 por ciento respectivamente, después de la presentación de los videos. CONCLUSIONES: la clase magistral no es suficiente para el logro del aprendizaje, fue el video más eficiente para este propósito; sin embargo, no demuestra efectividad en aspectos cognitivos complejos o aquellos relacionados con valores y aspectos culturales que involucran el consumo de drogas.

OBJECTIVE: to assess the usefulness of didactic video as a innovative strategy in Toxicology teaching process. METHODS: authors established the knowledge of 48 students of this matter after magisterial classes and of presentation of 3 videos of Drugs and Brain series corresponding to following topics: Cocaine, Alcohol, and Marijuana using the pretest and posttest tools, designed ad hoc to assess its effectiveness in learning improvement compared with results from both procedures. RESULTS: right answer percentage after magisterial class is of 59 percent for Cocaine and of 66 percent for Alcohol and Marijuana versus 89 percent and 93 percent, respectively, after video presentation. CONCLUSIONS: magisterial class is not enough to learning achievement, the video was more efficacious for this purpose; however, it lack of effectiveness in complex cognitive features or those related to values and cultural features involving the taking of drugs.

Carbo-stent liberador de tacrolimus Janus®. Resultados inmediatos y seguimiento clínico a medio plazo / Janus® tacrolimus-eluting carbostent. Immediate and medium-term clinical results

Estudio observacional con seguimiento clínico de los primeros 50 pacientes tratados en nuestro centro con el carbo-stent de tacrolimus Janus® (Sorin Group). La edad media de los pacientes fue 66 ± 10 años. El 38% era diabético y el 56% ingresó por un síndrome coronario agudo. Se trataron 56 lesiones (el 52% de tipo B2/C), incluidos un 12% de reestenosis intra-stent, un 5% de oclusiones crónicas, un 23% de lesiones difusas (> 20 mm), un 25% de lesiones en vaso pequeño (≤ 2,5 mm), un 7% de lesiones aortoostiales, un 5% de lesiones en puentes de safena y un 14% con trombo angiográfico. Se implantaron 63 carbo-stents Janus® (1,26 ± 0,49 stents/paciente). Se obtuvo éxito inmediato en todas las lesiones. Un paciente precisó reintervención de la lesión tratada por trombosis aguda (2%). Tras un seguimiento de 10 ± 3 meses se han producido 8 eventos adversos cardiacos mayores (16%): una muerte por insuficiencia cardiaca (2%) y 7 nuevos procedimientos de revascularización (14%), de los que 5 se debieron a reestenosis de carbo-stents Janus® (10%)

This observational and clinical follow-up study involved the first 50 patients who were treated with the Janus® tacrolimus-eluting carbostent (Sorin Group) at our hospital. The patients' mean age was 66 (10) years, 38% were diabetic, and 56% were admitted with acute coronary syndrome. In total, 56 lesions were treated (52% were type B2/C), of which 12% involved in-stent restenosis, 5% were chronic occlusions, 23% were long lesions (>20 mm), 25% were in small vessels (≤ 2.5 mm), 7% were aorto-ostial lesions, 5% were in vein grafts, and 14% involved angiographically visible thrombus. Some 63 Janus® carbostents were implanted (i.e., 1.26 [0.49] stents/patient). A successful outcome was achieved for all lesions. One patient (2%) required reintervention at the target lesion because of acute thrombosis. During a follow-up period of 10 (3) months, eight (16%) major adverse cardiac events occurred: there was one (2%) death due to heart failure and seven patients (14%) required revascularization, in five (10%) cases because of restenosis of the Janus® carbostent